Riit (NU) Riit, originally from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, is a songwriter, throat-singer, and accordion-player whose sound expands into the realms of indie, electro, and synth pop. Riit’s music makes a unique and compelling contribution to the growing amount of radio-friendly music…
Rebirth Brass Band (LA) Whether seen on HBO’s Treme or at their legendary Tuesday night gig at the Maple Leaf Bar, Rebirth Brass Band are a true New Orleans institution. Formed in 1983, Rebirth Brass Band have evolved from playing…
The Rad Trads (NY) The gentlemen comprising Brooklyn-based five-piece the Rad Trads distinguish themselves in ways few bands can. Already drawing lines around the block at home, the globe-trotting group’s singular take on rock ‘n’ roll mixes punk rock energy,…
Pharis and Jason Romero (BC) Singing vibrant duets, writing deadly songs, playing their handmade banjos, and loving old acoustic guitars, Pharis and Jason Romero have a classic story. When some scratchy old records and a custom banjo led to their…
Marin Patenaude (BC) With favourably raucous and precious moments, Marin Patenaude deftly stitches together an urban edge with the waving grasses of country folk. Layered, living, and inspirited by wildness, her voice and spirit are strong. Raised in rural Horsefly,…
Oktopus (QC) The instrumental creature known as Oktopus extends its creative tentacles across the landscape of East European music with an effervescent concoction of new and reinvented elements of the repertoire. Their exuberant harmony of bows, keys, valves, and mouths…
Namgar (Mongolia) Namgar are a four-piece music group that perform traditional Buryat and Mongolian music. Their leader, Namgar Lhasaranova, comes from the east borderland where Russia, Mongolia, and China meet. Namgar Ayushievna Lhasaranova grew up in a Buryat family in…
Pablo Menéndez & Mezcla (Cuba) Under the direction of guitarist Pablo Menéndez, Mezcla have been a part of the soundtrack of the Cuban music scene for 30 years. Mezcla bring together several veteran masters with some the best of young…
Raine Hamilton String Trio (MB) The Raine Hamilton String Trio deliver resonant, acoustic chamber folk with an otherworldly edge and a lyrical presence that cuts deep. Their vocals and strings are prism-clear, agile and powerful. Hamilton’s latest album, 2018’s Night…
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (CA) “One of the last true links to the great folk traditions of this country, with over 40 albums under his belt, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is considered one of the country’s legendary foundations of folk music. Long…